$756, I CAN'T EVEN USE THAT MUCH IN THREE MONTHS IN A WINTER TIME. SHE JUST GOT HIT WITH A MASSIVE ELECTRICITY BILL, AND SHE THOUGHT SHE HAD THE PROBLEM FIXED, WHEN SHE SWITCHED SUPPLIERS. THEN SHE GOT HIT WITH AN EVEN BIGGER BILL. IT'S A PAIN THAT MANY OF YOU ARE FEELING THIS WINTER AS CUSTOMERS SEE THEIR ELECTRICITY RATES DOUBLE, EVEN TRIPLE WITHOUT WARNINGS. STATE OFFICIALS ARE TAKING STEPS TO PROTECT YOU. MATT BELANGER WITH THE STORY YOU'LL ONLY SEE HERE. Reporter: WHEN YOU OPEN THAT UP, COULD YOU BELIEVE IT? NO. Reporter: VIVIAN CALLS IT A NIGHTMARE, NOT ONE HUGE ELECTRICITY BILL, BUT TWO. HER PRICE TRIPLING UNDER IDT. $756, I CAN'T EVEN USE THAT MUCH IN THREE MONTHS IN A WINTER TIME. LUDWIG SAYS SHE CUT BACK ON THE POWER SHE WAS USING AND CALLED IDT THE SAME DAY, ASKING TO SWITCH BACK TO WEST PENN POWER, ONLY TO RECEIVE A SECOND BILL FROM IDT FOR $800 A FEW WEEKS LATER. IT TURNS OUT T TOOK IDT NEARLY A MONTH TO PROCESS HER SWITCH BACK TO WEST PENN. BUT EVERYTHING IDT DID WAS WITHIN THE RULES. EVEN THOUGH IT DOESN'T FEEL THAT WAY. I'M AN HONEST PERSON AND I DON'T CHEAT ANYBODY. AND I DON'T EXPECT ANYBODY TO BE CHEATING ME OR ROBBING ME. AND THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT THEY DID. THERE'S AN EXTREME FRUSTRATION WITH THE AMOUNT OF TIME IT TAKES TO SWITCH, ESPECIALLY GIVEN TODAY'S TECHNOLOGY. IN THE WAKE OF PUBLIC OUTCRY FROM OUTRAGED CONSUMERS, THE PENNSYLVANIA UTILITY COMMISSION HAS PROPOSED CHANGING THE RULES. THEY'LL HAVE TO PROCESS SUPPLIER CHANGES WITHIN THREE DAYS. RIGHT NOW THEY CAN TAKE UP TO 40. WHICH IS WHY LUDWIG RECEIVED THAT SECOND BILL. CONTRACTS MUST BE WRITTEN IN A WAY THAT IS EASY TO READ. INCLUDING WHETHER THE RATE IS VARIABLE OR FIXED. WE'VE HEARD FROM CONSUMERS THAT THEY'RE FRUSTRATED WITH THE LANGUAGE, IN THE WAY IT WAS PRESENTED TO THEM, THEY FEEL THEY WERE DUPED, OR THEY DIDN'T UNDERSTAND. IT WAS A WAIT AND SWITCH TYPE SITUATION. LUDWIG HAD A VARIABLE RATE WITH IDT, WHICH IS WHY IT WAS ALLOWED TO SPIKE. THIS TIME SHE'S MAKING SURE HER RATE IS FIXED AND SHE HOPES OTHERS WILL LEARN FROM HER STORY. I'M LEARNING A LESSON, BUT IT'S VERY COSTLY. SO IMPORTANT TO KNOW IF YOUR RATE IS VARIABLE OR FIXED. LOTS OF TIMES, THE COMPANY OFFERING THE LOWEST RATES, IT'S VARIABLE.